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Broomstick
Broomsticks, also known as brooms, are one of the means employed by wizards and witches to transport themselves between locations. Their use in Great Britain and Ireland is regulated by the British Ministry of Magic's Broom Regulatory Control. The earliest recorded use of the broomstick was in 962 in a German illustrated manuscript. Only wizards and witches appear to use broomsticks in the wizarding world. House-elves, for example, use Apparition. Broomsticks appear to have a bit of personality of their own, as they are able to respond to the simplest of commands, such as "Up!". History Early days Since no spell was devised by wizards to enable them to fly, they had to come up with another way to do so. Animagi who transformed into winged creatures enjoyed the sensation, but they were rare. Long before the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy came into force, wizards were savvy enough to realise that Muggle neighbours would seek to exploit their abilities. Therefore, if they were to keep a method of flight in their homes, it would have to be unobtrusive and easy to hide. The broomstick was ideal — it was portable, cheap, and required no explanation. However, the first broomsticks were uncomfortable. The first brooms Records show that witches and wizards in Europe were using brooms as early as A.D. 962. A German manuscript of this period shows three warlocks dismounting from their brooms with looks of exquisite discomfort on their faces. The first brooms bewitched were neither comfortable nor aerodynamic (they had rough twigs at the end and unvarnished handles), and in 1107 Scottish wizard Guthrie Lochrin wrote of the "splinter-filled buttocks and bulging piles" after a short ride from Montrose to Arbroath. The charms on the broom were also basic; they would move at one speed and could only go up, down, and stop. Wizard families generally constructed their own brooms, so there was a variation in speed and comfort depending on the skill of the builder. By the twelfth century, wizards began to barter services, and skilled broom makers could trade their services for goods such as the potions of a neighbour. Racing brooms and mass production Until the nineteenth century, broomsticks were of varying quality, although the invention of the Cushioning Charm in 1820 by Elliot Smethwyck greatly enhanced the quality and comfort of the rides. However, they were still handmade by single wizards, and they were generally incapable of achieving high speeds and were difficult to control at high altitudes. They were also designed with styling and craftsmanship in mind, and not performance. Brooms such as the Oakshaft 79, the Moontrimmer, and the Silver Arrow all made an impact on the broom market but were still made by single wizards and witches. In 1926, the brothers Bob Ollerton, Bill Ollerton, and Barnaby Ollerton formed the Cleansweep Broom Company, and the racing broom was born. Their first model, the Cleansweep One, was produced in large quantities and was an instant hit. Three years later, in 1929, Randolph Keitch and Basil Horton formed the Comet Trading Company and released the Comet 140 with a new Braking Charm. For several years, the Cleansweep-Comet rivalry dominated the field, until the creation of the Nimbus Racing Broom Company in 1967. The Nimbus brooms combined reliability and easy handling and became a favourite for Quidditch teams across Europe. Universal Brooms Ltd was a broomstick manufacturing company which was very popular in the past but shut down some time back due to heavy losses. Ellerby and Spudmore were founded in 1940 Universal Brooms Ltd was founded in 1935 Present-day brooms At present, nearly every wizarding household in Great Britain and Ireland owns at least one broomstick. Dedicated riders keep their brooms in top condition with a Broomstick Servicing Kit. Large groups of wizards and witches may travel by broomstick without being seen by Muggles through the use of a dose of the Disillusionment Charm. An earth-bound Muggle might then only see a slight shimmer in the night sky as broomstick riders pass overhead, which might be put down to blurred vision, sleepiness, or a trick of the light. Broomstick magic Broomstick manufacturing companies * Cleansweep Broom Company * Comet Trading Company * Ellerby and Spudmore * Flyte and Barker * Nimbus Racing Broom Company * Universal Brooms Ltd Broomstick models Fisted * Oakshaft 79 * Moontrimmer * Silver Arrow Cleansweep Broom Company * Cleansweep One * Cleansweep Two * Cleansweep Three * Cleansweep Four * Cleansweep Five * Cleansweep Six * Cleansweep Seven * Cleansweep E * Cleansweep n * Cleansweep Ten * Cleansweep Eleven Comet Trading Company * Comet 140 * Comet 150 * Comet 180 * Comet 200 * Comet 220 * Comet 240 * Comet 260 * Comet 280 * Comet 290 * Comet 300 * Comet 330 Nimbus Racing Broom Company *Nimbus 1000 *Nimbus 1001 *Nimbus 1400 *Nimbus 1500 *Nimbus 1600 *Nimbus 1700 *Nimbus 1800 *Nimbus 1900 *Nimbus 2000 *Nimbus 2001 *Nimbus 2003 *Nimbus 2100 Ellerby and Spudmore * Tinderblast * Swiftstick * another * Firebolt * Firebolt Supreme Universal Brooms Ltd * Shooting Star Thunderbolt * Thunderbolt I * Thunderbolt II * Thunderbolt III * Thunderbolt V * Thunderbolt VI * Thunderbolt VII Starsweeper * Starsweeper I * Starsweeper II * Starsweeper III * Starsweeper IV * Starsweeper V * Starsweeper X * Starsweeper XI * Starsweeper XII * Starsweeper XV * Starsweeper XX * Starsweeper XXI Other * Air Wave Gold * Australian Flyabout * Bluebottle * Siberian Arrow * Transylvanian Barb * Turbo XXX * Twigger 90 * Varápidos * Yajirushi Broom games *Aingingein, played on broomsticks using a ball called a Dom and a series of flaming hoops. It originated in Ireland. *Annual broom race held in Sweden, originating in the 10th century. *Creaothceann, involving cauldrons and falling rocks. It was played in Scotland starting in the Middle Ages but banned in 1762. *Quidditch, a game of flying balls and hoops, popular in England, originated in 1050 AD. *Quodpot, similar to Quidditch but played in the United States of America as early as the 18th century. *Shuntbumps, a game of knockout originating in England. It survives only as a children's game. *Stichstock, involving an inflated bladder and sharpened broomstick ends. It was played in Germany starting in at least 1105 but died out in the 14th century. *Swivenhodge, the volleyball equivalent of broomstick sports. It originated in England.